5 ex-presidents listed as ‘anti-constitutional actors’ in new reckoning on historical state violence
Members and supporters of the Committee for the Compilation of Biographical Accounts of Anti-Constitutional Actors pose in front a statue of Kim Koo at the Kim Koo Museum & Library in Seoul, March 31. Courtesy of Jack Greenberg
Five former presidents of Korea made it onto a list of perpetrators of state violence in Korea's authoritarian past.
Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee, Choi Kyu-ha, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo are among the 312 public officials who are identified as "anti-constitutional actors" in a series of books on the subject.
Aimed at bringing Korean historical atrocities to light, part of the list was read aloud Tuesday during a press conference held by the Committee for the Compilation of Biographical Accounts of Anti-Constitutional Actors at the Kim Koo Museum & Library near Seoul’s Hyochang Park.
Since the establishment of democratic civilian government, efforts to address past cases of state violence have been undertaken at various times. Though incomplete and still ongoing, the facts behind numerous incidents have been established, revealing the truth in cases that have ended and destroyed many lives. Some victims have had their honor restored, and state compensation has been provided.
While acknowledging the importance and meaningfulness of victim-centered transitional justice work, arguments have been raised that historical reckoning with past injustices remains deficient if perpetrators are not punished for their actions.
However, professor Han Hong-gu, the chief compiler of the committee, explained that legal punishment was largely impossible when it prepared to undertake this work over 12 years ago. Han and fellow committee members nevertheless saw value in convening a court of history, if not a court of law.
Han Hong-gu, chief compiler of the Committee for the Compilation of Biographical Accounts of Anti-Constitutional Actors, answers questions during a press conference at the Kim Koo Museum & Library in Seoul, March 31. Courtesy of Jack Greenberg
Various circumstances made it difficult for organizations that operate with government budgets to engage in the project, creating space for the committee to take up the task in 2014. It has officially convened over 540 times to date with the objective of recording the names and deeds of perpetrators. Besides citizen-led donations, the Peace Museum and the Korean Democracy Movement Archives of Sungkonghoe University have both supported its work institutionally.
The final account totals approximately 4,800 A4 pages and will be published in 12 volumes, each spanning roughly 900 pages. Yoon Cheol-ho, head of the publisher Sapyoung, said his motivation to participate in the project stemmed from recalling victims of state violence who declared in courtrooms that history would ultimately judge them innocent and condemn those who persecuted them, as well as from a belief in the need to help make that judgment a reality.
The first four volumes will be published by the end of April, with the remaining volumes slated for release in two phases by the first half of 2027.
The approach to this work differed from earlier projects that named Japanese colonial collaborationists, such as the Center for Historical Truth and Justice’s Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators. Biographical Accounts prioritized detailed focus on a limited number of individuals due to financial constraints, the vast scope of materials available and the huge number of potential candidates.
For this book series, 312 powerful and high-ranking public officials made the final cut, and each is covered in an entry that includes a biographical sketch, chronology of their activities, an evaluation and references. The first four volumes list 81 names, focusing on presidents, judges and prosecutors. These individuals were deemed to bear responsibility for five types of unconstitutional acts: massacres, insurrection, torture and espionage case fabrications, election fraud, and media repression.
Regarding the selection criteria, Han said the committee considered criticisms regarding the use of today’s standards in evaluating past human rights abuses and acts committed during authoritarian periods. Selected public officials were evaluated against the Constitution in effect at the time of their actions, offering a standard that was codified.
The publication may cause discomfort for those named and their families. Of the first 81 to appear, 36 are still alive, according to the findings of the compilation committee. In a joint statement, it asserted that what has been recorded constitutes neither an ahistorical perspective nor something that can be denied. It further expressed the belief that it is never too late to move forward, and despite the passage of decades, “the most necessary remedy to heal the suffering of the victims is not stern punishment, but a sincere and heartfelt apology.”
Cho Young-sun, legal counsel for the committee and former president of Minbyun, also known as Lawyers for a Democratic Society, stated that the committee is acting with urgency and hopes for responses from some of the living individuals. This would enable a clearer understanding of existing investigation records, court rulings, retrial judgments, and media and other secondary sources. He added that objections, rebuttals and opinions were already gathered on two prior occasions, and the compilation committee will continue to receive opinions until April 10.
After the press conference, compilation committee representatives moved to the seated statue of Kim Koo to symbolically present the first four volumes. The committee identified Kim’s 1949 assassination as emblematic of the state’s violent suppression of the unification movement, ultimately leading to the massacre of thousands of civilians.
A eulogy to Kim was delivered, written by poet Lee San-ha. Lee was arrested and tortured in 1987 for his epic poem, “Hallasan,” which helped reveal the truth behind the Jeju April 3 Uprising and Massacre.
Five former presidents, seen in the upper left of the banner, are among the faces of 81 public officials profiled in the first four volumes of the Biographical Accounts of Anti-Constitutional Actors, displayed at the Kim Koo Museum & Library in Seoul, March 31. Courtesy of Jack Greenberg
The Biographical Accounts of Anti-Constitutional Actors is expected to help stimulate further social and political dialogue about perpetrator research, a nascent field internationally. The contents are likely to gain further attention as Cheong Wa Dae shows growing interest in state violence perpetrator accountability.
During a visit to Jeju Island where he honored victims of the April 3 uprising, and in the wake of the death of Lee Geun-an — a notorious police inspector associated with torture during Korea’s military regime — President Lee Jae Myung gave his support on March 29 for abolishing statutes of limitations for perpetrators of state violence. Lee also ordered a probe into 70,000 government awards and commendations that have been bestowed since 1945, with the aim of stripping state honors from perpetrators.
Jack Greenberg works as a consultant, researcher and freelance writer. His current focus is on heritage and conservation issues, historical memory debates, truth-seeking and reconciliation, and civilian massacres of the 1950-53 Korean War. He was the recipient of the Global Korea Scholarship and earned a master’s in international studies at Korea University. He is also an alum of McGill University in Canada.